Self-locking nut and bolt.



SELF LOCKING NUT IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII a.

Patentm May 25, 11.90%.

D BOLT.

orney.

M. JAGQBS.- SELF LOCKING NUT AND BOLT.

I PPPPPP Af; IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII a. l 922,482. l Patented May 25,1909.

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UWM 19 M JACOBS.

SELF LOCKING NUT AND BOLT.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 22,1908.

922,482. Patented 25,1909.

3 B S-SHEBT 3.

` "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORRIS JACOBS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SELF-LOCKING NUT Np BOLT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 22, 1908.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Serial No. 439,713.

4drawings, forming art thereof.

My invention re ates to means for locking coperative screw-threaded parts, such as bolts and nuts, against accidental or unintentional unscrewing, as often disastrously occurs by reason of vibrations and jars attendant with use, particularly on vehicles of all kinds, railroad fish plates, bridges, agricultural machinery, engines, and the like; and the principal object of my invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means for retaining the locking member in one of the cooperative screw-threaded parts for con.

venience in use and to prevent separation and loss of the locking member.

Other objlects and advantages ofmy invention wil appear from the following description.

My invention includes a locking member carried by one of the cooperative screwthreaded parts and adapted to b e moved or shifted in a cavity -t-herein to andfrom locking engagement with the threaded surface of the other cooperative screw threaded art, the cavity extending only partly throug .the screw-threads so as to leave portions of the threads continuous and extending across the side of the cavity to prevent the ,loss of the locking member when the screw-threaded parts are not in coperative relation, the openings or slots between the. continuous portions ofthe threads permitting locking engagement of the locking. member, but the, cavity being closed to the exit or escape of the locking member.

My present invention is not restricted to a particular kind or description of locking member, nor does it matter, so far as the present invention is concerned, in which of the, cooperative screw-threaded parts the locking member is located, 'asthe present invention relates to means for retaining the locking member in the cavity provided for its reception. For example, the locking member may be a locking roller ,or clutch roller, or it may bearockable locking bar or cam rocker also theY locking member may and shall thereafter .rocker is located in the bolt.

be'provided with teeth separated by grooves for receiving the screw threads of the coperative screw-threaded part, or such grooves and resultant teeth may be omitted.`

I shall now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, point out my invention in claims.

Figure l is an elevation, partly in section,

i showing a self-locking nut embodying my invention, locked on the bolt and coacting with the bolt in clamping two ob`ects to ether, Fig. 2 is a cross-section throng the bo t, nut and locking rollers as viewed from ethe outer or screw end of the bolt, and shows the locking rollers in non-locking position. Fig. 3 is a similar View, but with the locking rollers rolled to locking position. -Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with the nut rotated one-quarter turn, of a slightly modified construction, wherein the circumferential teeth or annular ridges are omittedfrom the locking rollers. Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the nut of Fig. 4 locked` on.v

a bolt, portions of which are broken away. Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a bolt and a self-locking nut locked thereon, showing another modified construction wherein cam rockers or rockable locking barsare employed instead of locking rollers. Fig. 7 is a cross-section through the bolt, nut and cam rockers of Fig. 6 as viewed from the outer or screw end of the bolt and shows the cam rockers rocked to locking position,- Fig. Sis a view similar to Fig. 1 of another modified construction wherein the locking mem.- bers, shownas lockingrollers, are located in thbolt instead of in the nut., Fi view similar to Fig. 3 of the moded construction shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is aplan view of an end Washer or roller retaining disk shown at the end of the bolt in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is aview similar to Fig. 8 of a further modified construction, wherein a locking cam l y Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 9 of the modified con struction of Fig. 11. y

In the embodiment of my invention illusT trated in Fi s. 1,2 and 3 of the drawings, an ordinary bo t 1 has secured thereon a self.- locking nut 2 rovided with locking means, shown as two ocking rollers or clu-th rollers 3 contained in longitudinally extending cavi' ties 4 formed in the nut 2. The locking rollers 3 are retained in the cavities 4 and proa vented from escaping therefrom, whether the gage the locking rollers, but leaving the porf tions 5 of thescrew threads of the nut continuous, these continuous or unbroken portions 5 of the threads extending across the sides of the4 cavities and retaining the -locking rollersl in the cavities when the screw-threaded parts are not in coperative relation or when the nut is oi'lthe bolt, thus preventing escape and loss of the locking rollers by d rop ing to the inside of the nut; it being noted t at escape in other directions is prevented-by the closed walls of the cavities.

The cavities 4 are shown as closed at their ends by plugs 6, which may be driven firmly therein. rl`he plu s 6 prevent the escape of the locking rollers ongitudinally and also protect the locking devices from the elements, preventing the entrance of dust and the like and moisture. The openin or space which is closed or occupied by a p ug 6 at one end of each of the cavities 4 is needed to enable the cavity to be cut out or otherwise formed and also to permit of the insertiorrofthe lock,

ing roller into the cavity; but, lfor the sake of convenience in forming the cavities 4, such cavities are iirst formed extending entirely through the nut and then both end's of each walls of the cavities and toward the o cavity are closed by plugs 6.

.The roller-retaining cavities 4 are shown as of elon ated cross-section with opposite substantia ly plane parallel sides Joined by Arounded or semi-cylindrical portions conforming in contour to the cylindrical rollers '3. The outer plane sides of the cavities form inclined cam surfaces alon which-"the locking rollersroll to and from loc ing position. In the unlocked position. (Fig. 2) the locking rollers 3 are incontact with the outermost curved portions of the walls of the cavities 4 and are then only in slight frictional contact with the threads of the bolt 1, permitting the nut to be freely screwed on, as indicated by the arrow 7; but. this contact is sufiicient to cause the rollers 3 to be 'rolled or pressed against the inclined cam'srfaces of the cavities when the nut tends to turn in an opposite direction, `as indicated by the arrow 8 in Fig.y 3, and to tightly bindbetweenthe nut andthe bolt. and form'ja secure lock. As the lookin rollers l move-ijn roll to locking position,` tIiey move out of contact with the outermostcurve'd or cylindrical portions of the g osite or innermost cylindrical curved wa portions,\as shown inFig. 3; the amount or extent-'fof such movement, however, -as indicated in the drawings, is greatly exaggerated for the sake of clearness in illustration, as in practice such movements are substantially imperceptible.

o secure a firmer locking effect, the locking rollers 3 are rovided w-ith annular V- shaped grooves with intervening circumferentlal teeth or ridges, as shown in the drawings, Which are substantially in alinement with the threads of the nut so that the threads ofthe bolt fit into the grooves. The circumferential teethv are not sharp or V- sha ed, but are blunt with cylindrical faces an t into the outer portions only of the threads ofthe bolt vand leave space or room in or between the threads of the bolt for the passa e of the continuous roller-retaining threa s 5. These continuous thread portions 5, extending across or transversely to the sides of the cavities 4, form cages, `consisting of bars with slots between, these `thread bars preventing the escape of ythe locking rollers 3 when the nut is not on the bolt, and the intervening slots,formed by the cavities 4 extending into the threads, permitting the locking rollers 3 to engage the threads of the-bolt, which extend into such slots.

Small apertures or holes 9 are provided in the sides of the nut, through whlch Wires or keys suitable for the purpose may be inserted to ush the locking rollers to non-locking po- .sition and to hold them there when it is dewith knurled or roughened cylindricahsurfaces, which frictionally engage the threads of. the bolt. The rollers 10 are shownas of smaller diameter than 4the toothed rollers 3 and, therefore, correspondingly smaller camsurfaced cavities 11 are provided in the nut 12, shown as locked on the bolt 13. Continnous thread portions 14 of the nut retain the locking rollers in the cavities when the nut is not on the bolt, andthese thread portions 14 are of larger cross-section 'than the corresponding thread portions 5 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) because of the fact that the omission of the teeth from the locking rollers requires a correspondin ly less cutting away of the threads o the nut or of encroachment on these threads by the roller-retaining cavities. In the modification illustrated in Figs. 6 and`7, locking cam rockers 15 are provided in lieu of locking rollers, these earn rockers bethe locking cams or cam rockers when the nut is not on the bolt, and the ends of the cavities 16 are closed by suitable lugs 20. The cam rockers 15 have roun ed camshaped locking faces, shown as provided with transverse teeth for frictionally engaging the threads of the bolt 18 and are'adapted to rock in the cavities 16 on fulcrum edges to .and from locking position. Apertures 21 are provided in the sides of the nut for the insertion of Asuitable means to push the cam rockers 15 to non-lookin position and to hold them there while t e nut is intentionally unscrewed. lThe continuous thread portions 19 act in the samemanner to retain the cam rockers 15 in the nut 17 as the thread portions 5 and 14 (Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive) act to retain the respective locking rollers 3 and 10,

in the nuts 2 and 12, respectively.

Figs. 8,- 9 and 10 show my improvementa plied to a modified construction in which t e locking member is carried by the bolt instead of by lthe nut, as in the abovedescribed constructions. Two cylindrical knurled or roughened locking rollers 22 are contained in cam-surfaced cavities 23, rovided lon itudinally of a screw-threaded olt 24, on w ichV is locked an ordinary-nut 25. The principal difference' between this corrstruction and that illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 lies in the fact that the locking rollers are contained-in the 'bolt instead of in the nut. Continuous thread ortions 26 confine the locking rollers in' t e cavities in the bolt when the nut is not on the bolt. The cavities 23 and contained locking rollers 22 extendlongitudinally of the bolt 24 substantially throughout thef threaded ortion thereof. The continuous thread portlons 26 of the'bolt protect the locking'rollers 22 from interference with their locking action by obocking rollers l22are retained in t e cavities 23 in a longitudinal direction by a rotatable peripherally notched retaining disk 27,

`which is permanently secured to the screw- 4are not in alinementwiththe outer ends of the cavities 23, theidisk Y'27 will retain the 'loclijing rollers 22:,(111 such ,cavities andt also -will protectjthe locking devices, and when the retaining-disk 27 is rotated to bring the notches `35 oppositeV tothe roller-containing cavities, access ``rnay be had to,.the locking `rolles-so that suitable devicesmay be in- ,serted' to ,push the locking rollers to nonlocking positionor intentional unscrewing f the nut 25'.4

In the modificationv illustrated in Figs.

. as there shown.

iects through which the bolt may ass. The

11 and 12, a rockable locking bar or cam rocker 29 is carried'by a bolt 30, on which isV locked an ordinary nut 31. This construction diers `from that /last described chiefly in the fact that a cam rocker is emloyed instead of locking rollers, and differs ii'om the construction illustrated in Figs. 6 land 7 chiefly inthe fact that the cam rocker is carried by the bolt instead of by the nut The cam rocker 29 is fulcrumed on a rocking edge in a rocker-receiva ing cavity 32 and has, as shown, a toothed cam surface adapted to frictionally engage the screw threads of the cooperative nut 31. Escape of the locking cam in alongitudi'nal direction is prevented by aretaining-disk 33, and lateral escape, when the nut is o the bolt, is prevented by continuous thread portions 34 ofthe bolt, forming rocker-retaining bars which extend across the outer side of the cavity 32.y

. In the above description and as illustrated in the drawings, screw-threaded-parts with right-hand threads only are considered,

but it ris perfectly obviousv that for lefthand threads merely a correspondingly reversed constructionof the locking devices is re uired.

' t is to be noted that the principle employed in reference to the means for retaining the locking members against separation is the same in all ofthe modifications illustrated and that there is virtually Ano modification ofl the invention as embodied in such -retaining means and that the modiiications are solely in other parts, that is, substantially the same retaining means are-shown as em loyed to retain against loss a plurality o #different kinds of locking members. Theseveral different kinds of locking members shown are of the self-tightening variety, that is to say, they tend to tighten or screw up `the nut whensubjected to vibration, so that if a nut is-left partly unscrewed, it will tighten up of its own accord when agitated or vibrat'ed. Many practical embodiments of the invention in hi hly effective constructions, such, for examp e, of locking'rollers carried by the nut, are extremely easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and Atheyeffectively overcome the` great inconvenience of separable locking members and obviate any possibility of losing the llocking members, W ich are always in place ready for immediate use.

It is obvious that various modifications may be'made in the-constructions shown and i above particularly described within thje princ'ille and scope of my invention. claim: 1 The combination of two coperative' vscrew-threaded parts, onevof such arts having a cavity provided therein, an a locking member located in the` cavity and'adapted to be frictionally en a -ed by the other co diag Pe tive screw-threa part to shift the locking member in the cavity and ada ted to be retained in the cavity solely by t 1e walls of the cavity, the conformation of these walls being such as to retain the locking memberv in the cavity when the screw-threaded parts are not in coperative relation.

2'. The combination of ltwo coperative screw-threaded parts, one of these arts having a cavity provided therein, a loc 'ng mem- `and `partly t irough the screw-threade portion thereof so as to leave portions of the screw threads continuous, and a locking member located in the cavity and adapted to be shifted therein to and from locking position relatively to the other screw-threaded part, the continuous portions of the threads retaining the locking member in the cavity when the'screw-threaded parts are not in cooperative relation.

4. The combination of twol coperative screw-threaded parts, one of such parts having a cavity provided therein extending into and partly through the screw-threaded portion thereof so as to leave portions of the screw-threads continuous, and a locking member located in the cavity and adapted to be frictionally engaged by the other co erative screw-threaded part to shift the loc ing member in the cavity, the continuous portions of the threads retaining the locking member in the cavity when the screwthreaded parts are not in coperative relation.

5. The combination of two coperative screw-threaded parts, one of such arts having a cavity provided therein, a loc ing member in the cavity and adapted to be frictionally engaged by the other coperative screwthreaded part to shift the locking member in `the cavity, and means for retaining the locking member in,the cavity longitudinally of the screw-threaded parts, portions .of the screw threads being continuous across one 1 sideof the cavity to retain the locking memb e`r i'n the cavity when the screw-threaded parts are not in'co erativerelation.

6.v ,The combination of two coperative screw-'threaded parts, one of these arts hav- 'ing a cavityiprovided therein, a loc -ing member in theca'vity and adapted to be frictionally engaged by the ,other coperative screwthreadedpart-to shift thelocking member in the cavity, and means (for continuously retaining fthe locking member in the cavity at all times, including when the coperative screw-threaded parts are not in coperative relation, such means including thread portions a`rtly closing one side of the cavity.

7. he combination of two coperative screw-threaded parts, one of such parts having provided therein an elon ated cavity adapted to receive an elongated ocking member, such cavity extending in its longitudinal direction transversely of the threads, and an elongated locking member confined in the cavity and ada ted to be shifted in the cavity byy frictiona engagement with thev other coperative screw-threaded part and ada ted to be retained in the cavlty solely by t e walls of the cavity, the conformation, of these walls being such as to retain the locking member in the cavity when the screwthreaded parts are not in coperative relation.

8.' The combination of two coA erative screw-threaded parts, one of suchpa ts having provided t erein i an elongated cavity adapted to receive an elongated lockingv member, such cavity extending in its longitudinal direction transversely of the threads, an 'elongated locking member confined in the cavity and adapted to be frictionally engaged by the other coperative screw-threadedv part to shift the locking member in the cavlty, and means for continuously retainin the locking member in the cavity at atimes, including when the coperative screwthreaded parts are not `in coperative relation, suchmeans includin thread portions partly closing one side of t e cavity.

9. The combination of two coperative screw-threaded parte, one of such parts having provided t erein an elongated cavity adapted to receive an elongated locking member, such cavity extending in its longitudinal direction transversely of the threads, an 'elongated locking member confined in the cavity and ada ted to be shifted in the c avity by frictiona engagement with the other coperative screw-threaded part, and means for retaining the locking member in the cavity' longitudinally of the screw threaded parts, portions, of the screw threads being ,continuous across one lside of the cavity to .retain the locking member' in the cavity -when the screw-threaded .parts are not in cotudinally of the screw-threaded parts, portions of the screw threads being continuous.

11. The combination of two coperative screw-threaded parts, one of-such parts having provided therein a roller-receiving cavity forming a cam surface, such, cavity extending transversely of the threads, a circumferentially toothed locking roller confined in the cavity and adapted to have its circumferential teeth frictionally engaged by the screw threads of the other cooperative screwthreaded part to roll the locking roller along the cam surface of the cavity,' and means for retaining thelocking roller in the cavity longitudinally ofthe screwthreaded parts,

portions of the screw threads being continu- 2 ons across one side ofthe cavity to retain the locking roller in the cavity when the screwthreaded parts are not in coperative relation.

In testimony whereof I have aihxed my 25 signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MORRIS JACOBS. Witnesses:

WM. ASHLEY KELLY, VICTOR D. BoRsT. 

